SCHLUMBERGER, Daniel.

SCHLUMBERGER, Daniel Théodore. Mulhouse (Alsace, then German Elsaß) 19.12.1904 — Princeton NJ 21.10.1972. French (Alsatian) Archaeologist of Afghanistan. Son of a protestant factory owner, nephew of the Oriental scholar Paul Perdrizet (1870–1932). After school in Mulhouse studied history and geography at Strasbourg, then Paris where he became student of René Dussaud and Henri Seyrig. In 1925 participated in his uncle’s excavations in Egypt. In 1929-40 Inspector (under Seyrig) in Service des antiquités, Haut-Commissariat de la France au Levant, making surveys in Syria and Libanon and conducting excavations at Palmyra (1933-35) and Qasr el-Heir (1936-39). During the war served as Lieutenant and staff interpreter in Syria, then political commentator in Brazzaville Radio of France-Libre and director of Information Office in Beirut. In 1945 succeeded Ghirshman as director of D.A.F.A., until 1964. In Afghanistan conducted excavations at Balkh (1947-48, 1955-56) and Surkh-Kotal (1952-63; both Kūshān), at Lashkar-i Bazar (1948-51; Ghaznavid), and started at Ai-Khanum (1964, Greek). Ph.D. 1950 Paris (diss. on his Palmyra excavations in the 1930s). From 1955 Professor Byzantine and Near Eastern (l’Orient méditerranéen) History at Strasbourg, now dividing his time between Afghanistan and Alsace. Correspondant 1955 and Dussaud’s successor 1958 in A.I.B.L. In 1967 succeeded Seyrig in charge of Institut Français d’Archéologie in Beirut. Died in heart attack during a journey to the U.S.A. Married, 2 daughters and 3 sons.